Page 21 of What About Us

She blinks, and that pretty blush moves up her chest and into her cheeks, and fuck if it isn’t adorable.

“This is just the day for me to be embarrassed,” she mutters.

“No way. I like it. It’s sexy. Don’t work too hard, Red.”

She nods and hops up into her truck, and I return to my sister, who’s sitting in the corner of the couch in the living room, no drink, just curled up looking sad.

And I fucking hate that.

“What’s going on?”

She shakes her head and takes a deep breath. “Chad wants to postpone the wedding again.”

“I thought you weren’t getting married until February.”

“That was the plan.” She nibbles her lip and stares outside.

“That still gives you plenty of time.”

“I told him the same thing. Honestly, I told him if he doesn’t want to get married to just say so, and we can call the whole thing off. I don’t want to feel like I’m trapping him or begging him to marry me. He proposed to me, not the other way around. I’m not pregnant or anything. We don’t even live together, so there’s nothing holding him to me.”

“What did he say to that?”

And when can I plant my fist in his face?

“He always rushes to assure me that he does want to get married, but timing is tough and blah blah blah. Excuses.”

“Aves, you’re not a doormat. You’re one of the most outspoken, confident, kick-ass people I know. I can’t believe you’re letting this jackass treat you like this. Kick him to the fucking curb and get on with your life.”

She blows out a gusty breath and tips her head back against the couch.

“I know that everyone thinks I’m crazy and that all of this is weird for me.”

“It is weird.”

“Yeah, well.”

“Do you really love him that much?”

She pauses, and that’s all I have to know.

“Ava—”

“I do love him.”

“Then why did you just stutter over the L-word?”

She laughs and then dissolves into a coughing fit because she choked on her own spit.

“I didn’t. I do love him, or I wouldn’t have agreed to marry him. He’s just not a romantic guy, and I don’t need a ton of romance. It’s unrealistic to expect hearts and flowers and kittens all the time.”

“You don’t have even one kitten.”

She reaches over to smack my arm. “Shut up. You know what I mean. He’s a good person.”

“That’s the only reason he’s still breathing on his own.”

Ava rolls her eyes. “You brothers might talk a big game, but it’s not like you’re going to beat him up or kill him.”